Previous Chapter Next Chapter

A continuation of ‘Breaking Point’. This one’s much more lighthearted and features the comedy trio: Torahiko, Kounosuke and Shun interacting and generally just being loveable goofs. Had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you guys will enjoy it as well.

---

Torahiko was regretting his decision to look around the shops in town for a gift for Juuichi. He was looking around in the sweet shop and wondering if his senpai would like it better if he baked a cake when Kounosuke and Shun ran into him, trying to get him to join in their latest scheme. He tried his best to decline, really, but he definitely underestimated the tanuki’s curiosity and was unable to say no to the wolf’s pout (‘Who couldn’t? I mean, just look at him!’), so he ended up having to explain what he was doing.

And of course the two just had to decide to postpone their little adventure in order to brave the Quest For Torahiko’s Super Special Awesome Gift For Juuichi-senpai (Shun’s words, not his). He tried to argue that he was perfectly capable of finding a gift himself, that the two could go on with whatever they had to do, that he’d rather do this alone. Further resistance on his part was stopped by Shun giving him that watery-eyed Look.

Torahiko was starting to wonder if Shun knew what he could do with that Look, and fervently prayed it wasn’t the case.

Grumbling under his breath about bothersome tanukis and pouty wolves, Torahiko led them through the shopping district. He was pondering if he should go into the bookstore or the tailor’s shop next when Kounosuke interrupted his thoughts.

“Hey, Torahiko, why’re you buying a gift? I know it’s not gonna be Juuichi’s birthday for two months.”

Crap. Of all the questions to ask, Kounosuke just had to pick the most troublesome of them all. “I just felt like it, all right?” The tiger shrugged as he walked into the bookstore, trying to affect an air of nonchalance like Shin.

Unfortunately for him, Kounosuke and Shun looked at him dubiously. The wolf was looking at him with concern in his eyes. “Did you and Juuichi-senpai get into a fight? So is this going to be a peace offering, Torahiko-san?”

Double crap. There was no way he could lie to Shun, not with him looking so worried like that. Torahiko continued browsing the store’s magazine section and replied in what he hoped was a reassuring voice, “Nah, we’re not fighting Shun-kun. I just wanted to get something for him since he’s been cool to me lately.”

“Ah, okay.” Shun nodded, looking satisfied. “I’m glad you two like each other now.” Shun was too busy poring over video game magazines to notice the blush on Torahiko’s cheeks.

Kounosuke, however, was more observant. “Ah! So you like him after all?” He had his hands behind his head, grinning at Torahiko’s sudden coughing fit.

He was about to shout how it was none of the tanuki’s business anyway, when Kounosuke opened his mouth once more.

“Seriously, this reminds me of those heroines in those shoujo manga, the way you’re trying to get a gift for Juuichi.” He was a few feet away from them, browsing through the store’s manga selection.

Torahiko ignored the horrifying image of him as a shoujo manga character and had to resist the urge to pull the tanuki into a headlock. Instead he gave what he hoped was a smug smirk and said, “And how would you know about what happens in a shoujo manga? Is there something you’d like to tell us?”

To Torahiko’s dismay, Kounosuke was unfazed and just laughed at him. “Oh, I read some from time to time! I’ve been lending some to Shun-kun here as well.”

At this, Shun perked up and started wagging his tail in excitement. “Yeah! Kounosuke-san is right though, this is just like in volume three of ‘Rookie Star’ where – ”

Torahiko put his head in his hands and groaned as he headed out of the store, doing his best to ignore the two as they got into a discussion about shoujo manga.

---

The three made their way to the southern side of the shopping district, with Torahiko grateful that the talk about shoujo manga was over. Now he had to deal with the two asking him about him and Juuichi. More specifically, Torahiko had to deal with Kounosuke’s teasing innuendos while doing his best to protect poor Shun’s innocence.

“For the last time, no, I’m not telling you if we have or have not done it yet!” Torahiko growled as he walked into the appliance store, doing his best to ignore the weird looks the other customers were giving him.

Kounosuke snickered, “C’mon, not even a hint?”

“That’s not fair! What are Torahiko-san and Juuichi-senpai supposed to be doing?” Shun huffed, the poor wolf looked hopelessly lost in the face of all the innuendos and Torahiko’s sputtering and blushing.

“He’s asking if Juuichi-senpai and I are practicing some judo moves!” Torahiko yelped, ignoring Kounosuke’s laughter (so he chose some words that could be interpreted in an… interesting manner, so what?).

“Eh? But aren’t you on the Swimming Club?”

Torahiko waved his hand at the wolf’s words nervously. “W-well, I’m just helping senpai with some grappling moves. I-I just let him fling me to my back mostly.” The tiger paused and considered his words and mentally cringed. ‘Shit, the hell am I saying?’ He was grateful that Shun looked mollified by his explanation, but tossed a glare at Kounosuke, who had his hand over his mouth, trying his hardest not to burst into laughter. He made a mental note to kick the tanuki’s ass later.

Torahiko stomped around the store, hoping the air conditioning would help cool down the heat from his cheeks. He had been so distracted by those two that he just went in here. He wasn’t even sure he’d find a good gift in an appliance store of all places, but felt that since he was here he might as well look around. Though Kounosuke’s next words made him think he should have tried staying in a refrigerator instead.

“So who’s the uke in that relationship?”

Torahiko sputtered and tossed a glare Kounosuke’s way; the bastard was in another aisle so Torahiko was unable to get his hands on the tanuki’s neck. He answered in the best way he could. “What the hell?! Where did you even get that question?”

Kounosuke tilted his head, as if to consider the question. “Well, you and Juuichi both look seme, but you two act uke when next to each other half the time.” He gave a careless shrug and ignored Torahiko cursing his existence. “I’m just trying to figure out how that relationship works.”

Torahiko was stomping his way towards Kounosuke, glaring at the other people in the store giving their group strange looks. He was debating what moves he could perform to inflict the maximum amount of pain to the tanuki. His steps faltered however, and Torahiko’s world went dark at the edges when he saw Shun approach Kounosuke and ask, “Hey, Kounosuke-san, what do seme and uke mean?”

To his horror, Torahiko saw that Kounosuke was about to answer that question and shouted in a panicky voice in order to drown out the tanuki’s words. “It’s nothing! Totally nothing!” He ignored the stares of the other customers and hastily wrapped his arm around the wolf’s shoulder, leading him away from Kounosuke’s (evil) influence. “It’s really nothing, Shun-kun. I’ll explain when you’re older, okay?” And if Torahiko had any say about things, it would be never.

Unfortunately, in his haste Torahiko managed to knock over a display of metallic mugs for sale. There was a loud clatter as several mugs went crashing to the floor. Wincing, the three hastily picked up the scattered items even as the store’s manager went to them and demanded what the hell they were doing. Eventually (and after many apologies), the manager let them off the hook, grumbling how lucky the three were that nothing was broken that they had to pay for.

Sighing and feeling like this day was a total waste, Torahiko was making his way outside when he felt a hand grip his arm. Turning back, he saw Kounosuke and Shun presenting one of the mugs he dropped and smiling at him. “How about you get this for Juuichi?” Kounosuke asked.

Taking the metallic mug in his hands, Torahiko considered it. It was nothing fancy, really, except for the red number eleven etched on its side. The mug looked solid, and didn’t have any dents on it despite its tumble to the ground. Smiling, Torahiko felt like he found the perfect gift for his senpai. “Thanks, guys.” With that, he took his gift to the counter and paid for it, thinking that those two did help him find what he was looking for after all.

Grinning, Kounosuke gave him a thumbs up. “No problem, I gotta be nice to you sometimes if I have to keep teasing you like that, right?”

Shaking his head, Torahiko took his gift and headed outside. Deciding the tanuki deserved a little of his own medicine, the tiger turned back with a smirk on his face. “Yeah, yeah, keep it up and I might tell you all the dirty details about me and Senpai…you frustrated virgin.”

Kounosuke’s face twisted and Torahiko grinned in victory, opening the door to the shop and slamming it behind him…right into Kounosuke’s face.

“You’re an asshat, Torahiko!”